Hosted by eminent conductor, pianist and man-about-music Andre Previn this series tells the story of Mozart's travels, featuring a piano concerto from each period of his life. With performances by well-known international soloists.
Episode 3 - Milan/Bologna (Piano Concerto KV 175)
If Italy is the well-spring of music, the city of Bologna is its ultimate source. The illustrious Bologna conservatory has educated scores of Italy's greatets composers and musicians from the rest of the world as well. Even though still a small child, Mozart showed the Bolognese they just might have something to learn from him. Although he was too young to be accepted for studies at the conservatory, his father still wanted him to take the entrance examination to prove his talent. When the great padre Martini saw what little Wolfgang had done with his assigned themes, he bent the rules a bit and "corrected" the voice leading. Mozart was prescient enought to retain both versions of the exam - hiw own inspired work and the good father's well-meant revision.
In our performance, at the Teatro Bibiena in Mantua, Malcolm Frager is the soloist along with the RISI Orchestra under the direction of Marc Andreae.
Episode 4 - Mannheim (Piano Concerto KV 238)
Mozart's time in Mannheim was a period of fateful encounters. For his musical development, the Mannheim Orchestra and the school of composition that went with it represented significant turning points in Mozart's work. His artisitic and emotional life also took a major turn in Mannheim when he met the music copyist Fridolin Weber and his singing daughters. He immediately fell in love with the second child, Aloysia, and concocted a master plan to make her an opera star in Italy, a plan that rocked his parents to their heels.
The Mannheim Elector's court spent a great deal of time at their country palace in Schwetzingen, and it is at Schwetzingen Palace that we hear Piano Concert KV 238, performed by Christian Zacharias with the Radio Symphony Orchestra of Suttgart conducted by Gianluigi Gelmetti.
| Genre | CLASSICAL |
| Catalogue Number | 92817 |
| Rating | E |
| Media | DVD |
| Special Features | None |
| Language | English |
| System | NTSC |
Release Date : --
